The unfortunate part of putting Bristol Palin into a show like Teen Mom OG is that she’s a role model that also stands as an example of what not to do. At this point in her life if her mother hadn’t been who she still is then it’s fair to say that Bristol’s life might have taken a very different turn. Without trying to point fingers one can point out that she did get pregnant as a teen, but also as a legal adult. Whether or not she had her life in order, it doesn’t seem like she did, is another matter. The massive problem that follows such such as Teen Mom OG and others like it is that while they do show the pitfalls and other problems that can come along they can also glorify teenage motherhood in a way that’s not entirely healthy as too many young teenage girls seem to think that this is the way to go. Having kids when you’re a teen is not as cool as it seems, which is something that Bristol might be wise to promote since she’s had a great deal of help from her own family. Others might not have that luxury.
Here are a few ups and downs that the show might have to go through thanks to her inclusion.
There’s definitely going to be some hate mail and negative opinions thrown around.
It’s very natural for a show like this to suffer such negative opinions as the idea of ‘kids having kids’ is something that many people have an issue with. The idea of someone that is young enough to still be in school having a child is quite disturbing since too many kids don’t seem to understand what having a child is like until it’s too late. It’s not limited to what happens when the child is born, it’s the nine months that come before that point that a young woman will have to realize that her body will change and the discomfort that can come from being pregnant is going to be a constant reminder of her choice. While some might be able to weather it just fine others are typically filled with doubt, fear, and regret that can transfer into something much more negative. Bristol being on the show could be a good or bad thing depending on the perspective of the audience.
She doesn’t have the typical life of a young pregnant woman.
She was pregnant at the age of 18, which made her a legal adult and fully responsible for her choices. Plus it’s easy to assume that her family was there the whole way supporting her. She’s not exactly a poster child for the kind of life a pregnant teen can expect to live. Plus there are simply too many controversies that follow her name when it comes to such things abstinence and pregnancy and the many rumors that have abounded since her family was brought into the public eye. If anything, Bristol’s ideals and values seem to shift like the sands during the tides, you never seem to know what she’s going to say next and what kind of justification she’s going to use.
Helping others on their “journey” seems to imply that she agrees with teen pregnancy.
So there’s a saying, when the bell’s been wrung it can’t be undone. With pregnancies we know that this isn’t true up to a certain point, but by the time the kid is born mothers can only choose to give them up for adoption or keep them. Anything else is bound to be considered neglect or child abuse in some form. But Bristol stating that she wants to help pregnant teens on their journey seems to imply that she supports their decision to get pregnant in some way and also that she would gladly support their decision when it comes to this lifestyle. Now that might not be the case, but this tends to make her appearance on the show more about her than it will be about the teenage moms she’s there to ‘support’. One thing about Bristol is that she’s no stranger to the spotlight and in some ways it almost seems as though she likes it just a little too much. It could be a lot of conjecture, but right now her appearance on this show is a bit odd with the timing and also seem as though it might be an opportunistic way to keep herself relevant.
One can only hope this show will be more about the young women that have been there for a while even though such shows are kind of dangerous and a little controversial. But the chances seem good with Bristol coming on that she’ll find a way to stay in the spotlight for just a little longer.
Follow Us
